Crispy Skin Salmon in Orange Ginger Sauce
Paleo, Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free
Salmon is brain food and I am utterly obsessed with it. Prior to becoming a nutritionist I had bunch of health issues that I assumed were genetic and even took Adderall for 11 years to manage my ADD. Did you know that Adderall is almost chemically identical to street meth and that public perception is really the only difference between the two in terms of how it impacts the body?
60% of our brain is made of fat, eating healthy fats like the omega 3’s from fatty cold water fish will not only improve your brain function, it’ll also improve your mood, blood pressure and the list continues. Our brain controls every function in our body, if you want to improve your health, start with your brain.
Not all salmon is equal. Be careful of farmed varieties that are raised in crowded pens, pumped full of antibiotics and diseases. These practices harm your body and the environment. Opt for wild varieties at the fish counter, if that’s not available many frozen sections will have that option. Ask questions, demand to know the source of your food, your body deserves it.
I like to eat a diet full of colorful fruits and veggies so I try to sneak them in where I can. The blueberries are a bit unexpected but they really help make this dish so don’t leave it out! Blackberries make a great alternative. I used sweet red peppers and carrots as garnish this time but I’ll leave that part up to you and what you have in the fridge.
This dish is so yummy and so easy to make, 20 minutes from start to finish. I highly recommend serving this with a side of rice or starch of choice to soak up the delicious sauce. I personally love black rice or sweet potatoes.
Ingredients:
4 salmon fillets roughly 4 oz. each (or what will fit in your pan, thickness of fish will vary)
1/3 cup of honey
3-4 small tart oranges like tangerines or minneolas (YUM I ate 6 of these while writing this post) or what you can find for 1/2 cup of fresh juice and garnish
1/2 cup of blueberries
1/8 tsp of red pepper flakes
1 inch size ginger grated/minced, approx. 1 loose Tbsp packed
3 cloves of garlic minced
2 Tbsp liquid aminos or tamari
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp of avocado oil or non-hydrogenated frying oil of choice
Salt
Pepper
Let Cook!
Pat fish dry with paper towels this will help the skin crisp up, lightly salt and pepper and set aside. You can also cut a small slit in the skin of each piece as this will help keep the skin from curling up
Combine and mix in a bowl: honey, orange juice, red pepper flakes, ginger, garlic, liquid aminos, sesame oil, set aside
Heat cooking oil in cast iron pan or skillet on high heat until it sizzles, place salmon skin-side down and fry until golden brown and crispy (3-4 minutes). Once skin is crispy and the fish is about 50% cooked through, flip the fillets over then pour the sauce into the pan around the fish, reduce heat to simmer
Allow the liquid to reduce and to cook through the other 50% of the fillets at a medium-low heat. Careful not to overcook so the fish stays tender. Stir in blueberries in the last few seconds of cooking
Garnish with slices of orange and colorful veggies of choice